IRA Army Council redundant - report

The IRA's ruling Army Council which once directed its campaign of violence is no longer operational, a major report revealed.

The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) declared that the IRA has disbanded its terrorist structures and relinquished the leadership necessary to wage war.

The watchdog's declaration that the IRA campaign is "well and truly over" comes ahead of crucial talks between unionists and republicans aimed at securing the future of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government.

Prior to the report's publication, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson said his party would demand complete removal of the IRA's Army Council to secure political progress.

The IMC 12-page report said: "We are aware of the questions posed about the public disbandment of (Provisional Irish Republican Army's) PIRA's leadership structures. We believe that PIRA has chosen another method of bringing what it describes as its armed struggle to a final close. Under PIRA's own rules the Army Council was the body that directed its military campaign. Now that that campaign is well and truly over, the Army Council by deliberate choice is no longer operational or functional."

The report concluded: "The mechanism which they have chosen to bring the armed conflict to a complete end has been the standing down of the structures which engaged in the armed campaign and the conscious decision to allow the Army Council to fall into disuse. By taking these steps PIRA has completely relinquished the leadership and other structures appropriate to a time of armed conflict."

Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said the report confirmed that the IRA had ceased to function. "This groundbreaking report by the IMC makes clear that the Army Council is now redundant," he said.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the report should provide "reassurance and hope" to everyone who wants an end to conflict in Northern Ireland and called on all the political parties to work together to complete the peace process.

Speaking in 10 Downing Street, Mr Brown said: "This is an important and significant day for Northern Ireland. An independent report has told us that the Provisional Army Council is no longer operational, is not functioning and is redundant. I believe that this will provide reassurance and hope for everybody who wants to see this chapter of Northern Ireland's history closed.

"In the next few days, I will use all my efforts, working with the parties in Northern Ireland, to make sure that the devolution of policing and justice can go ahead and the final stages of the peace process will now be completed, to the better government of Northern Ireland and to the peace and prosperity of the people there."